


Part Two: Who is Going to Prom with Bucky

by tisfan



Series: Choose Your Own Adventure [2]
Category: Captain America (Movies), Iron Man (Movies), Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-05-29
Updated: 2018-05-21
Packaged: 2019-05-09 20:14:42
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 12
Words: 6,608
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14722868
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/tisfan/pseuds/tisfan





	1. Homework and Phone Calls

Well, Bucky’d think about it. Now that he had tickets, going to prom was something he could do. No need to rush asking anyone.

They rounded the corner and climbed up the stairs to Bucky’s home. “Come on, hurry up. Becca’ll be back from dance practice soon, and if she sees you here, you know she’ll never shut up.” Becca had been crushing on Clint for years now. It would be adorable, Bucky supposed, if it wasn’t so annoying.

“Siblings are the worst,” Clint agreed.

They piled into Bucky’s room, and he swept a handful of dirty clothes into the hamper to make space on his bed for Clint to stretch out.

“Homework, also the worst,” Clint said, and Bucky agreed.

Clint flopped on his stomach and pulled out his English notebook. “Ug. We need to read fifty pages of  _Red Badge of Courage_  by Friday.”

“It’s not so bad,” Bucky countered. “At least it’s mostly in, you know, actual English.” Instead of whatever the hell Shakespeare was. Boring, Bucky decided. Clint whacked him with the pillow once, and then they settled in to do math homework and discuss their English papers, until the smell of Ma Barnes’ meatloaf drifted in the room.

“Dinner, Jaime-- oh, good evening, Clinton, it’s good to see you again. Jaime didn’t tell me he had a guest for dinner, it’s only mealoaf.”

“That’s all right, Mrs. Barnes,” Clint said. “Smells wonderful, and you know, I hope I’m not a bother.”

“Never,” Ma said. She smiled. “So long as you help Jaime with the dishes after.”

In the dining room, Becca let out a little whoop of glee for getting out of drying the supper dishes.

“So, how was school?”

“Good, Ma,” Bucky said, then… “I did some volunteering for the prom committee.”

“Oh, that’s nice, dear,” Ma said. “Do you have a date?”

“Not yet,” Bucky said, twisting his fingers together nervously. “I’m, uh, gonna call someone, after Clint heads home.” He really didn’t need an audience for that. He was already nervous enough.

After dinner, he and Clint did the dishes, while Clint talked about maybe asking Natasha Romanoff to Prom. He was pretty convinced that he didn’t have a chance with the Russian exchange student, but, “you miss a hundred percent of the shots you don’t take.”

“I didn’t know you were a philosopher,” Bucky commented, handing him a bunch of flatware to dry off.

“Well, since I fully intend to drink myself all the way through college,” Clint said, “it seems like a good thing to major in.”

“Or creative writing,” Bucky suggested.

“Aw, typing, no,” Clint complained. Bucky held out a fist and Clint bumped it without even looking.

After Clint left, Bucky threw himself down on his bed, holding his cellphone gently over his chest and trying to work up his courage.

* * *

 

[ **Call Tony** ](https://archiveofourown.org/works/14722868/chapters/34029864)

“Stark’s morgue, you stab ‘em, we slab ‘em,” Tony said, when he picked up the phone. “So, what can I possibly do for you, Buckybear?”

Bucky tugged his tee shirt collar away from his throat, trying to breathe. Tony was an upperclassman, and Bucky wasn’t sure how to go about asking him anything.

“I, uh, was wondering, if you know who you’re going to prom with?”

**[Call Steve](https://archiveofourown.org/works/14722868/chapters/34029888) **

“Steven!” Steve’s mom put her hand over the phone and yelled, but Bucky could hear Sarah Roger’s anyway. “It’s Bucky Barnes on the line.” She coughed a few times before Steve finally got to the phone. Steve didn’t have a cell phone. His mom could barely afford to keep the landline up most of the time, and if Steve didn’t spend so much time needing an ambulance for his asthma, they probably wouldn’t have that, either.

“Hey, Buck,” Steve said, how’s it going?”

“Okay,” Bucky said. “Pretty good. I’ve, uh… got tickets to prom now. So, um… I was kinda wondering if you’d asked anyone yet.”

**[Call Brock](https://archiveofourown.org/works/14722868/chapters/34033487) **

He didn't have Brock Rumlow's number, but he did text sometimes with Jack Rollins, Brock's best friend.

 **Text from Bucky:**  Hey, can you give Brock my number, have him call or text me?

 **Text from Jack:** He's right here. says wut u want?

 **Text from Bucky:**  I want to ask him something.


	2. Ask Clint To Be Bucky's Date

“Look, I… uh… was kinda wondering. I got tickets to the prom now, and… well, you said you didn’t have a date yet. Would you like to go with me?” Bucky stuffed his hands in his pockets, letting his backpack settle uneasily. He couldn’t quite look at Clint; almost as if Clint was as bright as the sun and hurt Bucky’s eyes.

Clint nearly stopped dead in the middle of the sidewalk, mouth dropping open like a landed fish. “Are you even kidding me right now, because aw, man, if you’re just making a joke, I am totally going to--”

“I’m not kidding, Clint,” Bucky said, hastily. “I mean it. I, you know, I been thinking about you, on an’ off, since that concert last summer, and… well, I’d just hate to miss the opportunity.”

“Aw…” Clint kicked a few rocks out of his way. “Yeah, okay, yeah, I think I’d like that.”

Bucky made a fist pump in the air and skipped backward a few steps so he could look at Clint’s face. Clint had a pleased, shy smile hovering around his mouth that kept tugging up the corners of his lips every time he tried to suppress it. “Great, that… that’s really great.”

“Yeah,” Clint said. Bucky turned to keep walking. There was only so much stupid he wanted to be by walking backward. That was a good way to trip over something, which would be so not smooth, while he was trying to be cool and casual after asking someone for a date.

They walked a little further in silence, and then Clint added, “Hey, Buck?”

“Yeah?”

“Can you hold this for me?”

Bucky stuck his hand out on autopilot, and Clint’s fingers twined with his. Oh.  _Oh_. Bucky suddenly felt warm all over. “That’s cheesy,” he accused, but he didn’t let go.

“Worked, didn’t it?” Clint swung their linked hands between them.

“I suppose so. A for effort.”

“So, uh, are we dating dating, or just going on one date?” Clint asked. “I mean, no pressure, and… I just...  kinda want to know if I can say ‘I’m going to the prom with my boyfriend’ or ‘Bucky’s taking me to prom.’”

Bucky was pretty sure he was going to melt into a little puddle on the sidewalk any minute now. “We, uh... I mean. I wasn’t… yes. Yes, if you want,  _boyfriend_ is fine. I like boyfriend.”

They rounded the corner and climbed up the stairs to Bucky’s home. “We might, er, not want to be doing this where my sister can see, otherwise, she’ll just stand in the doorway all afternoon and ask stupid questions.”

“Siblings are the worst,” Clint agreed.

They piled into Bucky’s room, and he swept a handful of dirty clothes into the hamper to make space on his bed for Clint to stretch out.

“Homework, also the worst,” Clint said, and Bucky agreed.

But they were laying on Bucky’s bed, together, and there was a certain amount of charged energy, like the sky right before a bad thunderstorm. It was hard to concentrate, but at the same time, Bucky’d never felt quite so alive.

Clint nudged Bucky with his ankle a few times and they ended up with Clint half-sprawled over Bucky’s legs while they did math homework and discussed their English papers, until the smell of Ma Barnes’ meatloaf drifted in the room.

“Dinner, Jaime-- oh, good evening, Clinton, it’s good to see you again. Jaime didn’t tell me he had a guest for dinner, it’s only mealoaf.”

“That’s all right, Mrs. Barnes,” Clint said. “Smells wonderful, and you know, I hope I’m not a bother.”

“Never,” Ma said. She smiled. “So long as you help Jaime with the dishes after.”

In the dining room, Becca let out a little whoop of glee for getting out of drying the supper dishes.

“So, how was school?”

“Good, Ma,” Bucky said, then… “I did some volunteering for the prom committee.”

“Oh, that’s nice, dear,” Ma said.

“And, uh… well, I get tickets to the dance, for being on the committee, so I… uh, asked Clint if he’d go with me.”

Ma dropped her dishrag on the floor, then practically shrieked with delight. Clint cringed for a second before he realized that Ma was pulling them both into a hug, rather than having a freak out that her only son was taking a boy to prom. “That’s just wonderful,” she enthused. “So, if this is a date, boys, you have to keep the door open to your bedroom.”

Bucky glanced at Clint and they both sighed and nodded. It hadn’t occurred to Bucky to take advantage of the door being closed, and now he’d lost that opportunity. And leaving the door open was just encouraging Becca to be a snoop.

After dinner, Bucky washed and Clint dried the dishes, and if they let their fingers brush against each others with each handoff, that was just a coincidence.

“Look, call me, like soon,” Clint said, as he was getting ready to leave.

“I will. And I’ll see you at school tomorrow. Boyfriend.”

Clint stared around at the room, wildly, as if expecting someone else jump out and yell “Psyche!” but it didn’t happen. Finally, making extra sure that no one was standing in the doorway, Clint leaned in and very quickly, very lightly, kissed Bucky on the mouth. “G’nite.”

“Goodnight,” Bucky said. He walked Clint out to the door, and then stood there, just staring at the closed front door, for a good five minutes, still feeling the press of Clint’s mouth on his. Bucky was still thinking about that kiss when Steve called about an hour later to let Bucky know he had worked up the nerve to ask Peggy Carter to prom, and more importantly, that she'd said yes.

* * *

 

Skip to [Getting Ready for Prom](https://archiveofourown.org/works/14723129/chapters/34030220)


	3. Accept Brock's Offer

“Hey, Barnes?” Brock was right up there in his personal space, those dark eyes appreciative. “You plannin’ on doing the prom thing, I mean, ‘cause if you are…” Brock licked his lower lip. “I might be persuaded to take you.”  
  
Bucky’s heart was beating harder in his chest, and he hitched in a shuddering breath, hoping that Brock didn’t notice. “You don’t think asking me while I’m naked is a little awkward?”  
  
“I can’t think of a better time to ask,” Brock said. “So…? I mean, we don’t have to do prom, if that’s not your thing, but--”  
  
“No, no, definitely my thing,” Bucky said. “Prom, yeah, that’d… that’d be great. Thank you. You have tickets?”

“That’s a good decision,” Brock said, and he was even closer in Bucky’s space, until the only thing between them was heat and Bucky’s towel. Bucky couldn’t quite help it, he leaned in, and then Brock brushed his lips over Bucky’s cheek. “I got ya, tickets and dinner. I asked, it’s my treat. I got some money put aside. I’ll pick you up at seven. If it’s boring, I know a few bars that won’t check IDs. We can hang there and then hit one of the after prom parties. Sound good?”

“I’m feelin’ it,” Bucky said. “I’ll… I’ll call later this week, we’ll figure it out.”

“Can’t wait to see you in a tux,” Brock said. He let his eyes drift down, checking Bucky out, which made him shiver. He licked his lips once, as if tasting the traces of Bucky left on his skin, and then walked away.

Damn it! -- Bucky was reminded that prom not only required tickets, but that he’d have to rent a tux and how the hell was he supposed to afford that? Well, at least he didn’t have to come up with the money for the tickets, if Brock was going to do that. And everyone knew Brock had a car, a deep black muscle car that he drove in to school every day. He didn’t have a reserved spot, but everyone knew where Brock liked to park, and no one really wanted to argue with him about it.

Well, Bucky’d come up with something. He had a little money left over from his birthday, and maybe if he talked to his mom, she’d be able to chip in a bit, if he did extra chores around the house. Or, god forbid, he could ask Becca. She got the same allowance that Bucky did, $15 a week, but instead of spending it, Becca was saving up to get a car when she got her license.

Bucky pulled on his clothes and headed home to do homework, still sort of walking on air about being asked to prom. By the time he’d gotten home, he was mostly not fluttery anymore. However, he had a pile of homework to do.

Homework was the worst. They were assigned fifty pages of _Red Badge of Courage_ for Friday’s class. It wasn’t so bad, Bucky decided, getting into the book. At least, for the most part, it was actual English and not whatever the hell Shakespeare was. Boring. He finished the reading and pulled out the math.

“Dinner, Jaime. So, how was school?”

“Good, Ma,” Bucky said, then… “Prom’s next week.”

“Oh, that’s nice, dear,” Ma said. “Do you have a date?”

“I do,” Bucky said. “You know Brock Rumlow, the captain of the baseball team? He asked me, and… I said yes.”

“I sense a but coming,” Ma said.

“I need to rent a tux,” Bucky told her.

“Well, we’ll see about that. You can start by doing some extra chores. Wash and dry the dishes?”

Becca did a little fist pump of triumph, as it was, technically, her day to do dishes. Bucky didn’t mind, even if he did stick his tongue out at his sister.

He was just finishing the last of the dishes when Steve called, excited.

“So, I uh,” Steve said, wheezing a little like he did whenever his asthma was acting up, “might have asked Peggy Carter to prom!”

“Oh, Steve, that-- what did she say?” Peggy was one of the prettiest girls in the school, and decidedly the most ambitious. Bucky wouldn’t have been surprised if she’d had a date for prom lined up since her sophomore year.

“Jerk,” Steve said. “You think I’d have called you if she said no?”

“I absolutely think you would have called me if she said no,” Bucky responded. “You’d need someone to commiserate with. I take it she said yes?”

“She said yes!”

“That’s fantastic, Steve,” Bucky said. “I know you like her. Hey, guess what? Brock asked me today.”

Steve made a little noise in his throat. “Yeah, saw that one coming a mile off. Didn’t know you were into him, but he watches you, all the time.”

“Does he? I didn’t notice.” Bucky felt a warm glow of satisfaction at that. Good to know that Brock hadn’t asked him on just a whim.

**Skip to[Getting Suit and Flowers](https://archiveofourown.org/works/14723129/chapters/34220354)**

 


	4. Refuse Brock's Offer

“Oh, man,” Bucky said, “I’m sorry, Brock, really, I am, but I kinda… got my eye on someone else.”

Brock scowled, then took a deep breath and a step back. “Well, nothin’ personal, right?” he asked, hands spread. “Still friends and all? Maybe next time?”

“Yeah, I… yes. Thanks for asking, I’m really flattered.” And Bucky was. Brock was a good looking guy, a little fierce, a little exciting. But really… Bucky had his eye on someone else.

Bucky pulled on his clothes and headed home to do homework, still thinking about prom. By the time he’d gotten home he’d made up his mind about who he wanted to ask. However, he had a pile of homework to do, first.

Homework was the worst. They were assigned fifty pages of _Red Badge of Courage_ for Friday’s class. It wasn’t so bad, Bucky decided, getting into the book. At least, for the most part, it was actual English and not whatever the hell Shakespeare was. Boring. He finished the reading and pulled out the math.

“Dinner, Jaime. So, how was school?”

“Good, Ma,” Bucky said, then… “Prom’s next week.”

“Oh, that’s nice, dear,” Ma said. “Do you have a date?”

“Not yet, but I think I’m gonna call the person I want to go with tonight and see if they’re interested,” Bucky said.

After dinner was over and the dishes washed and put away, Bucky threw himself down on his bed, holding his cellphone gently over his chest and trying to work up his courage.

* * *

 

**[Call Tony](https://archiveofourown.org/works/14722868/chapters/34029864) **

“Stark’s morgue, you stab ‘em, we slab ‘em,” Tony said, when he picked up the phone. “So, what can I possibly do for you, Buckybear?”

Bucky tugged his tee shirt collar away from his throat, trying to breathe. Tony was an upperclassman, and Bucky wasn’t sure how to go about asking him anything.

“I, uh, was wondering, if you know who you’re going to prom with?” 

[ **Call Steve** ](https://archiveofourown.org/works/14722868/chapters/34029888)

“Steven!” Steve’s mom put her hand over the phone and yelled, but Bucky could hear Sarah Roger’s anyway. “It’s Bucky Barnes on the line.” She coughed a few times before Steve finally got to the phone. Steve didn’t have a cell phone. His mom could barely afford to keep the landline up most of the time, and if Steve didn’t spend so much time needing an ambulance for his asthma, they probably wouldn’t have that, either.

“Hey, Buck,” Steve said, how’s it going?”

“Okay,” Bucky said. “Pretty good. I’ve, uh… got tickets to prom now. So, um… I was kinda wondering if you’d asked anyone yet.” 

**[Text Clint](https://archiveofourown.org/works/14722868/chapters/34030325) **

Text from Bucky: Hey. Detention boy.

 _Text from Clint:_ Wut.


	5. Ask Steve to Prom (From Volunteering)

“Hey, I uh… look, you know, I know this might seem like it’s coming out of left field an’ all, but,” Bucky stammered, cupping the back of his neck, “and now we have four tickets between us, but… I’d kinda like it if you let me take you to prom.”

There was a strangled squawk on the other end, and then Steve was coughing. Bucky winced, and then heard the puff and blast of Steve’s inhaler. “Sorry,” Bucky said, gritting his teeth painfully.

“No, no, it’s… it’s okay, I just,” Steve stammered, voice still a little wheezy, “wasn’t expecting that, caught me-- are you serious, Buck?”

“Yeah, why not? You’re my best friend,” Bucky said, defensively. “I mean, is there anyone else I ever _want_ to spend time with?”

“Maybe you should spend time with other people,” Steve said, voice cracking a little.

“Look, if you don’t want to go, just--”

“No, I want to go, I just… look, Buck, I feel like I’m holdin’ you back,” said Steve. “I, you know, I can make friends on my own.”

“Thing is, you don’t have to,” Bucky said. “And I’m serious. I want you to be my date to prom. Not like a friends thing, or a pity thing, or a ‘I don’t think you can get a date’ thing. Whatever’s goin’ on in your head, it’s wrong. I want you to be my date to prom.” _Mine, and no one else’s,_ Bucky thought fiercely.

Bucky watched Steve’s eyebrows going up with disbelief. “Like, you want to buy me flowers, and slow dance with me -- you know I don’t know how to dance.”

“Maybe you were just waiting for the right partner,” Bucky suggested. “Yes. All of that, yes.”

“Okay,” Steve said, slowly. “But uh, I’m gonna be really pissed with you if this is some scheme of yours.”

“Oh, lighten up, Rogers,” Bucky said. “Do you really think I’d do that?”

“No.”

“Great,” Bucky said. “So, that’s a yes?”

Bucky could hear the smile in Steve’s voice. “Yeah, that’s a yes.”

He walked Steve home. They didn't talk too much more on the way, a little overwhelmed by what had just happened. But by the time he’d gotten home Bucky had a lot more things he wanted to talk to Steve about.However, he had a pile of homework to do, first.

Homework was the worst. They were assigned fifty pages of  _Red Badge of Courage_  for Friday’s class. It wasn’t so bad, Bucky decided, getting into the book. At least, for the most part, it was actual English and not whatever the hell Shakespeare was. Boring. He finished the reading and pulled out the math.

“Dinner, Jaime. So, how was school?”

“Good, Ma,” Bucky said, then… “Prom’s next week.”

“Oh, that’s nice, dear,” Ma said. “Do you have a date?”

"I do, actually," he said. "Steve and I are going together." He braced himself, and his Ma did not disappoint. Ma hugged him, kissed both cheeks, absolutely cooed in delight. 

"I just know you two will be so sweet together. It's about time, Jaime Barnes!" And she immediately went to the phone to call Sarah Rogers, where the two women went into absolute gales over the gossip. Bucky decided that in the interest of not having his ears blistered right off, he'd go back to his room.

After dinner was over and the dishes washed and put away, Bucky threw himself down on his bed and called... his boyfriend. He couldn't stop grinning, the entire conversation

**Skip to[Suit and Flowers](https://archiveofourown.org/works/14723129/chapters/34220291)**

 


	6. Suggest Steve go with Phil Coulson

“Hey,” Bucky said, “look, I don’t know if you’ve noticed, but Phil’s kinda falling over his feet to talk to you. Maybe you should give him a break and ask him out?”

"Yeah, Phil's sweet, but I think I might ask Peggy Carter," Steve said. 

Not surprising. Peggy Carter was the prettiest girl in the school, as well as one of the smartest, and the most ambitious, and the least likely to put up with shit from anyone. Steve was brace as hell for asking her out, but then, Steve was the bravest person that Bucky knew.

Bucky walked Steve home, mostly to make sure the little punk didn't get into a fist fight with a random mugger or something and headed home to do homework, still thinking about prom. By the time he’d gotten home he’d made up his mind about who he wanted to ask. However, he had a pile of homework to do, first.

Homework was the worst. They were assigned fifty pages of  _Red Badge of Courage_  for Friday’s class. It wasn’t so bad, Bucky decided, getting into the book. At least, for the most part, it was actual English and not whatever the hell Shakespeare was. Boring. He finished the reading and pulled out the math.

“Dinner, Jaime. So, how was school?”

“Good, Ma,” Bucky said, then… “Prom’s next week.”

“Oh, that’s nice, dear,” Ma said. “Do you have a date?”

“Not yet, but I think I’m gonna call the person I want to go with tonight and see if they’re interested,” Bucky said.

After dinner was over and the dishes washed and put away, Bucky threw himself down on his bed, holding his cellphone gently over his chest and trying to work up his courage.

[ **Call Tony** ](https://archiveofourown.org/works/14722868/chapters/34029864)

“Stark’s morgue, you stab ‘em, we slab ‘em,” Tony said, when he picked up the phone. “So, what can I possibly do for you, Buckybear?”

Bucky tugged his tee shirt collar away from his throat, trying to breathe. Tony was an upperclassman, and Bucky wasn’t sure how to go about asking him anything.

“I, uh, was wondering, if you know who you’re going to prom with?”

**[Text Clint](https://archiveofourown.org/works/14722868/chapters/34030325) **

Text from Bucky: Hey. Detention boy.

 _Text from Clint:_  Wut.

**[Call Brock](https://archiveofourown.org/works/14722868/chapters/34033487) **

He didn't have Brock Rumlow's number, but he did text sometimes with Jack Rollins, Brock's best friend.

 **Text from Bucky:** Hey, can you give Brock my number, have him call or text me?

 **Text from Jack:** He's right here. says wut u want?

 **Text from Bucky:** I want to ask him something.

 

 


	7. Agree to be Tony's Date (from Robotics Club)

“Really? No, no, too late to change your mind now,” Bucky said, words practically tripping over themselves. “I would, I would love to go to prom with you, Tony.”

Tony made an indelicate snorting sound. “That's great. Because you know, prom? Prom is a ridiculous, socially accepted norm that’s sole purpose is to make us spend money on formal wear, and give us all collective ulcers while our parents try diligently to suggest to us that we’ll regret it if we don’t go. Prom is an overly ridiculous--”

“And your mom’s giving you hell about it?” Bucky knew Tony’s parents, a little bit. He’d met Howard once, and seen Mrs. Stark a lot. She was very involved in school activities in a way that seemed -- somehow -- to completely ignore that Tony was her son at all. It was weird how she could be on so many PTA committees and scarcely acknowledge Tony. Bucky knew well enough that if someone was fussing at Tony about prom, it would be Maria Stark. Howard probably didn’t even know that his son was a senior in high school, much less that prom was coming up.

And he’d been to the Stark Mansion a few times; Tony threw outrageous parties whenever his parents weren’t in town. Which was regularly. Bucky wasn’t the only junior that Tony invited, but he was one of only a few. Bucky kept wondering if that meant anything.

“My mother seems to think that I need to follow the entire path of Expected Events all the way through high school, every t crossed and every i dotted. Including Prom.” Tony waved both arms around frantically, which had one of the robots hovering around, trying to catch something that Tony hadn't thrown.

"So, you don't really want to go?"

“Barnes, are you asking me to prom?” Tony demanded.

“Uh… didn't you just ask me to go to prom with you? Did you not mean it?"

“Well, I meant it at the time…”

“Tony, it was six and a half seconds ago!”

“Well, gosh, Barnes, a lot’s happened since then,” Tony said. “Yes, absolutely, I will go to prom with you. Or you can go to prom with me, however that works out, I don’t really think it matters, but yes, that will be fantastic. Do you want me to pick you up? If that’s a yes, and I assume that’s a yes, because who wants to go to prom with their mom driving--”

“I can drive,” Bucky protested. “But, I’d still rather you drove. I… I’d have to borrow my mom’s car, which means she’ll want me to take Becca to lacrosse practice all week, which I don’t want to do.”

“Okay, that’s great! Sure. Prom. My mother will be thrilled. I’m going with a boy. Howard will shit a brick. Win-win all the way around!”

Bucky, whose stomach had slowly climbed back up and taken its rightful place in his midsection, agreed. Even if he was now nervous as hell for going to Prom with Tony Stark, at least he was… well, going to Prom with Tony Stark.

Skip to [Clothes and Flowers](https://archiveofourown.org/works/14723129/chapters/34220337)


	8. Decline Tony's Offer (from Robotics Club)

“I’m really sorry, Tony,” Bucky said, “but I think I’m going to go to prom with someone else.”

“My mother seems to think that I need to follow the entire path of Expected Events all the way through high school, every t crossed and every i dotted. Including Prom.” Tony waved both arms around frantically, which had one of the robots hovering around, trying to catch something that Tony hadn't thrown.

"So, you don't really want to go?"

"Nah, the after prom party will be a lot more fun, don't you even worry about it, Red October."

"That doesn't even make sense," Bucky complained.

"I mean, you should walk away, quickly, quietly, and let me have my breakdown somewhere else," Tony said. 

Bucky sighed. He never knew whether or not to take Tony seriously.

Bucky headed home, still thinking about prom. By the time he’d gotten home he’d made up his mind about who he wanted to ask. However, he had a pile of homework to do, first.

Homework was the worst. They were assigned fifty pages of  _Red Badge of Courage_  for Friday’s class. It wasn’t so bad, Bucky decided, getting into the book. At least, for the most part, it was actual English and not whatever the hell Shakespeare was. Boring. He finished the reading and pulled out the math.

“Dinner, Jaime. So, how was school?”

“Good, Ma,” Bucky said, then… “Prom’s next week.”

“Oh, that’s nice, dear,” Ma said. “Do you have a date?”

“Not yet, but I think I’m gonna call the person I want to go with tonight and see if they’re interested,” Bucky said.

After dinner was over and the dishes washed and put away, Bucky threw himself down on his bed, holding his cellphone gently over his chest and trying to work up his courage.

* * *

 

[ **Call Steve** ](https://archiveofourown.org/works/14722868/chapters/34029888)

“Steven!” Steve’s mom put her hand over the phone and yelled, but Bucky could hear Sarah Roger’s anyway. “It’s Bucky Barnes on the line.” She coughed a few times before Steve finally got to the phone. Steve didn’t have a cell phone. His mom could barely afford to keep the landline up most of the time, and if Steve didn’t spend so much time needing an ambulance for his asthma, they probably wouldn’t have that, either.

“Hey, Buck,” Steve said, how’s it going?”

“Okay,” Bucky said. “Pretty good. I’ve, uh… got tickets to prom now. So, um… I was kinda wondering if you’d asked anyone yet.” 

**[Text Clint](https://archiveofourown.org/works/14722868/chapters/34030325) **

**Text from Bucky** : Hey. Detention boy.

 _Text from Clint:_  Wut.

**[Call Brock](https://archiveofourown.org/works/14722868/chapters/34033487) **

He didn't have Brock Rumlow's number, but he did text sometimes with Jack Rollins, Brock's best friend.

 **Text from Bucky:**  Hey, can you give Brock my number, have him call or text me?

 **Text from Jack:** He's right here. says wut u want?

 **Text from Bucky:**  I want to ask him something.

 


	9. Call Tony (from Homework)

“Stark’s morgue, you stab ‘em, we slab ‘em,” Tony said, when he picked up the phone. “So, what can I possibly do for you, Buckybear?”

Bucky tugged his tee shirt collar away from his throat, trying to breathe. Tony was an upperclassman, and Bucky wasn’t sure how to go about asking him anything.

“I, uh, was wondering, if you know who you’re going to prom with?”

Tony made an indelicate snorting sound that made Bucky pull the phone away from his ear. “Prom? Prom is a ridiculous, socially accepted norm that’s sole purpose is to make us spend money on formal wear, and give us all collective ulcers while our parents try diligently to suggest to us that we’ll regret it if we don’t go. Prom is an overly ridiculous--”

“So, you’re not going?” Bucky felt his stomach sink into his feet and stay there for a while. Taking up permanent residence to trip him up for at least the next few weeks. “And your mom’s giving you hell about it?”

Bucky knew Tony’s parents, a little bit. He’d met Howard once, and seen Mrs. Stark a lot. She was very involved in school activities in a way that seemed -- somehow -- to completely ignore that Tony was her son at all. It was weird how she could be on so many PTA committees and scarcely acknowledge Tony. Bucky knew well enough that if someone was fussing at Tony about prom, it would be Maria Stark. Howard probably didn’t even know that his son was a senior in high school, much less that prom was coming up.

And he’d been to the Stark Mansion a few times; Tony threw outrageous parties whenever his parents weren’t in town. Which was regularly. Bucky wasn’t the only junior that Tony invited, but he was one of only a few. Bucky kept wondering if that meant anything.

“My mother seems to think that I need to follow the entire path of Expected Events all the way through high school, every t crossed and every i dotted. Including Prom.” Bucky could hear Tony moving around and then he gave out a huge sigh. “I don’t suppose you know who you’re going with?”

“I… uh, haven’t asked yet,” Bucky hemmed.

“Better act fast before all the good ones are snapped up,” Tony said.

“Well, you just said you weren’t going,” Bucky pointed out.

“Wait, what?”

“What what?”

“Barnes, are you asking me to prom?” Tony demanded.

“Uh… not if you don’t want to go, and you just said--”

“Well, I meant it at the time…”

“Tony, it was six and a half seconds ago!”

“Well, gosh, Barnes, a lot’s happened since then,” Tony said. “Yes, absolutely, I will go to prom with you. Or you can go to prom with me, however that works out, I don’t really think it matters, but yes, that will be fantastic. Do you want me to pick you up? If that’s a yes, and I assume that’s a yes, because who wants to go to prom with their mom driving--”

“I can drive,” Bucky protested. “But, I’d still rather you drove. I… I’d have to borrow my mom’s car, which means she’ll want me to take Becca to lacrosse practice all week, which I don’t want to do.”

“Okay, that’s great! Sure. Prom. My mother will be thrilled. I’m going with a boy. Howard will shit a brick. Win-win all the way around!”

Bucky, whose stomach had slowly climbed back up and taken its rightful place in his midsection, agreed. Even if he was now nervous as hell for going to Prom with Tony Stark, at least he was… well, going to Prom with Tony Stark.

**Skip to[Tony and Tuxes](https://archiveofourown.org/works/14723129/chapters/34220337)**


	10. Call Steve (from Homework)

“Steven!” Steve’s mom put her hand over the phone and yelled, but Bucky could hear Sarah Roger’s anyway. “It’s Bucky Barnes on the line.” She coughed a few times before Steve finally got to the phone. Steve didn’t have a cell phone. His mom could barely afford to keep the landline up most of the time, and if Steve didn’t spend so much time needing an ambulance for his asthma, they probably wouldn’t have that, either.

“Hey, Buck,” Steve said, how’s it going?”

“Okay,” Bucky said. “Pretty good. I’ve, uh… got tickets to prom now. So, um… I was kinda wondering if you’d asked anyone yet.”

There was a strangled squawk on the other end, and then Steve was coughing. Bucky winced, and then heard the puff and blast of Steve’s inhaler.

“Sorry,” Bucky said, gritting his teeth painfully.

“No, no, it’s… it’s okay, I just,” Steve stammered, voice still a little wheezy, “wasn’t expecting that, caught me-- are you serious, Buck?”

“Yeah, why not? You’re my best friend,” Bucky said, defensively. “I mean, is there anyone else I ever _want_ to spend time with?”

“Maybe you should spend time with other people,” Steve said, voice cracking a little.

“Look, if you don’t want to go, just--”

“No, I want to go, I just… look, Buck, I feel like I’m holdin’ you back,” said Steve. “I, you know, I can make friends on my own.”

“Thing is, you don’t have to,” Bucky said. “And I’m serious. I want you to be my date to prom. Not like a friends thing, or a pity thing, or a ‘I don’t think you can get a date’ thing. Whatever’s goin’ on in your head, it’s wrong. I want you to be my date to prom.” _Mine, and no one else’s,_ Bucky thought fiercely.

Bucky could just imagine Steve’s eyebrows going up with disbelief. “Like, you want to buy me flowers, and slow dance with me -- you know I don’t know how to dance.”

“Maybe you were just waiting for the right partner,” Bucky suggested. “Yes. All of that, yes.”

“Okay,” Steve said, slowly. “But uh, I’m gonna be really pissed with you if this is some scheme of yours.”

“Oh, lighten up, Rogers,” Bucky said. “Do you really think I’d do that?”

“No.”

“Great,” Bucky said. “So, that’s a yes?”

Bucky could hear the smile in Steve’s voice. “Yeah, that’s a yes.”

 

**Skip to[Suit and Flowers](https://archiveofourown.org/works/14723129/chapters/34220291)**

 


	11. Call Clint (From Homework)

**Text from Bucky:** Hey. Detention boy.

 _Text from Clint:_ Wut.

It was always easier to text Clint than it was to talk on the phone. Clint had one of those voice to text devices for his phone, but sometimes Bucky’s accent came out a little crazy. At least if he sent Clint a text, he was pretty sure that he knew what he was saying.

 **Text from Bucky:** You going to do Prom this year?

 _Text from Clint:_ Maybe. Music is usually loud enuff that I can hear it.

 **Text from Bucky:** If no one’s asked you yet, I was kinda wondering if you’d want to go with me.

 _Text from Clint:_ Are you kidding?

 **Text from Bucky:** No…. want to?

 _Text from Clint:_ Hell, yes.

 **Text from Bucky:** Great.

 _Text from Clint:_ So, uh...  
are we going as friends  
or is this an actual  
date date

 **Text from Bucky:**  Actual date date.

 _Text from Clint:_ So  
like  
Im your boyfriend

 **Text from Bucky:** So, like you're my boyfriend

 _Text from Clint:_ Excellent!  
talk at lunch about tux!

Bucky sighed. He'd sort of forgotten about that part. 

 

Skip to [Clothing and Flowers](https://archiveofourown.org/works/14723129/chapters/34030220)

 


	12. Call Rumlow (from Homework)

He didn't have Brock Rumlow's number, but he did text sometimes with Jack Rollins, Brock's best friend.

 **Text from Bucky:**  Hey, can you give Brock my number, have him call or text me?

 **Text from Jack:** He's right here. says wut u want?

 **Text from Bucky:**  I want to ask him something.

A few minutes later, Bucky's phone rang, and he almost dropped it on the floor in his haste to answer it. **Call from Unknown Number.**

"Hello?"

"Jackie says you want to ask me somethin', my pal, my buddy, my Bucky?"

Bucky's stomach did a nervous jig. "I was-- is Jack listening in? This is private."

"Nah, I'm out on his deck," Brock said. "Sounds serious, what's up?"

"I was kinda wondering if you'd want, you know, to go to prom with me?"

“Like, a date…? I'd love to go on a date. I mean, we don’t have to do prom, if that’s not your thing, but--”  
  
“No, no, definitely my thing,” Bucky said. “Prom, yeah, that’d… that’d be great. Thank you.” Bucky made a little fist pump of triumph.

“I’ll pick you up at seven. If it’s boring, I know a few bars that won’t check IDs. We can hang there and then hit one of the after prom parties. Sound good?”

“I’m feelin’ it,” Bucky said. “I’ll… I’ll call later this week, we’ll figure it out.”

“Can’t wait to see you in a tux,” Brock said. 

Damn it! -- Bucky was reminded that prom not only required tickets, but that he’d have to rent a tux and how the hell was he supposed to afford that? Well, at least he didn’t have to come up with the money for the tickets, if Brock was going to do that. And everyone knew Brock had a car, a deep black muscle car that he drove in to school every day. He didn’t have a reserved spot, but everyone knew where Brock liked to park, and no one really wanted to argue with him about it.

Well, Bucky’d come up with something. He had a little money left over from his birthday, and maybe if he talked to his mom, she’d be able to chip in a bit, if he did extra chores around the house. Or, god forbid, he could ask Becca. She got the same allowance that Bucky did, $15 a week, but instead of spending it, Becca was saving up to get a car when she got her license.

 

Skip to [Tux and Flowers](https://archiveofourown.org/works/14723129/chapters/34220354)


End file.
